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Rouge Valley Community College
Vinny's Candid View of the Dynamic People of
Rouge Valley Community College
As I sit in the main lobby of
Rouge Valley Community College, located in downtown Medford, I
often take the time to work on my computer. I am a man on a
mission with many agendas; all of which are interlinked and will
hopefully prove that each of these interlinking agendas will
support the structure I am building.
While I am working on my computer,
adding to or tweaking this website, I am hoping to enlist
people for their signatures on a few petitions that I can submit
on the internet and ultimately our Nation's representatives.
As I strive towards these ends, I
often am overcome with the feeling or imaginings that I am a bit
like Jane Goodall or Diane Fossey; a fellow anthropologist
observing the social interactions of many of the student
primates that hustle and bustle about, striving to find the
balance between their studies and social interaction, working
feverishly for the credentials that will reward them with the
career of their dreams; or at least a well paying satisfying job
with which to support current or future families.
To me there is always something very
positive about hanging out at a college; whether as a student or
as an interested observer of human interaction. Practically
everyone is there because they want to be and often at great
cost. Hanging out at colleges for me is heady, intoxicating to
the intellect and soul. Among all of this striving and
optimism is an atmosphere of camaraderie; most people at this
college seem to go out of their way to show interest and support
for each other. Often, I over hear people lamenting a
disappointing grade on a tests or feeling exuberant over an A on
a paper they had turned in. The common response to these two
scenarios I will hear a fellow student commiserate and perhaps
give useful advice and for a good grade received invariably
someone is there to give a hug and a congratulations on a job
well done.
It is here that the range of people I
find to be especially interesting. You see a few sixteen year
olds going for their GED or an early high school diploma; and
adults as well. One such person is a young man named John.
He is tall, big and amiable, personable, skilled more with
listening rather than talking. His appearance and manner belies
that fact that he is so young. He also possesses a emotional
maturity that is disarming and rare in one so young.
I find the student body politicians to
be an especially interesting group.
There is Teddy, the reigning
student body president. Despite some physical limitations, he
literally radiates exuberance for life and seems always ready
with a quip and a laugh as he zips around. His exuberant nature
does not hide from me that he is a person of strong drives and
single minded purpose towards his goals - which is to help other
people with his chosen field of counseling. Qualities that
spring to mind are; Unsinkable, steadfast, loyal and
compassionate.
Next is a really big guy named
Jesse. For some reason he reminds me of the actor George
Kennedy. Perhaps this is due to his strong physical presence. I
am not certain what his role in school politics is, but it is
apparent that he has a powerful personality. He is loud, happy,
forceful and he seems direct in his dealings with the people in
his sphere of influence. I do not know what his career choice
is, but it would not surprise me to see him evolve into a
community leader.
A person that I have had the pleasure of
meeting recently is Quynton, the newly elected student
president.
Quynton is tall, fair-haired, handsome and well groomed. He also
seems intelligent, well-educated, articulate, sensitive and a
manner that speaks of a deep well of compassion. Many of the
students at this school speak highly of him. He has done much to
help and counsel others with there problems or worries. He
possesses an air of quiet charisma and calmness. When you are in
his presence, any stresses or agitation that may have been on
the forefront of your mind is quieted and pushed into the back
corners of your thoughts.
Quynton as voiced a desire to do many
things. He is interested in Sociology, psychology, counseling
and since the rational problem solving part of his intellect
loves debate and pursuit of truth, he has toyed with the idea
attending law school. I think that he would be ideal as a
therapist with a legal degree. Why? Because he seems to have the
intelligence and personality much like a therapist friend of
mine, who also happens to have studied law.
This therapists loves the fact that he can go into any
arbitration, mediation or court of law and skillfully defend his
patients as both a Dr. and a lawyer. It will be interesting to
see what route in life Quynton will take.
Another person that I find interesting
is a young man named Nathan or Nate. Like me, some
people would consider Nate to be vertically challenged. I only
say this because we are exactly the same height and I have often
been referred to in such a manner. I prefer to see Nate as he
actually is. Dark haired, handsome, (The perfect height)
and he moves around in the world with a well-proportion, sinewy
tightly knit body that will serve him well as a fire fighter or
a paramedic... or some other modern day knight in shining armor.
He is so ambitious and disciplined, he works
full time to pay his way fully as he goes to college full-time.
Wow!
Nate seems to be very sharp, intense,
good humored, gregarious and a little edgy...like a person who
strives hard to hide their superior intelligence while a strong
conflicting desire to interact fully and honestly bubbles at the
surface of his psyche. It is as if he struggles with these twin
desires as an attempt to keep from overwhelming average people.
Outside of the circle of school
politics is a woman named Shannon who is working to become a Dr. of Chiropractic.
She is petite, attractive, reserve, and I sense a strong
pragmatic streak intertwined with profound sensitivity. Loyalty,
courteous and good-sense are also qualities that come to my mind
the few times I have observed her.
Her friend Poppy is also
on an ambitious "Vision Quest" When I see her, I see a complex
multi-dimension personality with great intelligence, artistic
and creative ability. Much like her friend, she also has a
drive to succeed. A trait that most single women
in their thirties and older who struggle with the task of
raising children on their own can fully appreciate. Poppy's
mission is to get her degree in Horticultural science and in my
opinion, it is a career that she was born to do. When you see
her, you see an engaging smile, dark hair, dark shining
eyes brimming with interest and passion,. She also is well
proportioned, athletic - both her body and movements remind me of a
feral cat. She seems to either languish about like a cat
enjoying the sun, or she is moving about with quickness and
grace...not much in between and always her strides are long and
confident. She is charismatic and seems to fully enjoy her
studies, and her interaction with her school mates, always
engaging and well liked. I know her future will prove to be
bright.
Finally, the teachers and
administrators of this college. They seem to be a friendly
and self-actualized group of people. No doubt their personal
achievements and the personal satisfaction they get from
mentoring, teaching, and supporting the people in their care
have much to do with their manner and the joy that they bring to
other people.
Yes it is encouraging to sit and watch
all of these people that show promise and hope; both for
themselves and for the communities that they chose to live and
work.
In parting I have one caveat...and that is
for them to beware of distractions. Distractions can
diminish or kill outright the loftiest of dreams and the best
laid plans. These distractions will come in many forms and the
most dangerous of them from sources that usually get under your
radar.
The biggest distraction and time waster can be the
people you hang out with, especially after you have graduated
and are immersed in a career. Unlike the atmosphere in college,
people tend to get too content to only talk about life, or
problems or lofty ideals. They content themselves with
distractions of the flesh or from useless nonstop entertainment
of the mind. The danger for all of us is to get sucked into just
hanging out for shits and giggles and fantasize about what we
could do without employing action towards these fantasies.
I see this happen all to often. It was
a trap that my former coworkers indulged in and it crippled
their ability to live fully, to be truly functional and
effective. Ultimately it made them jealous, depressed and
bitter.
Time is of the essences, so use it wisely.
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